Master Zheng indeed lived up to his reputation.
The moment he made his move, he displayed skill far more refined than Wu Yunfeng's, a truly captivating sight. Every step, every technique, exuded the aura of a master craftsman. It was widely rumored that Master Zheng was the second-best weaponsmith in Jiangnan City, surpassed only by Master Wang. Seeing him in action today proved the rumors true.
Among the spectators were many renowned artisans from Jiangnan City, and witnessing Master Zheng's work, they were finally convinced.
"Master Zheng is incredibly skilled; I am no match for him."
"He's likely very close to becoming a Yellow-tier Weaponsmith, perhaps just needing a breakthrough."
"I heard Master Zheng once successfully forged a Yellow-tier spirit weapon. I wonder if it's true."
"It should be. His skill is exceptionally high. If he were in peak condition, there's a definite chance he could forge a Yellow-tier spirit weapon."
Everyone murmured amongst themselves. Hearing these discussions and witnessing Master Zheng's prowess, many members of the Lan family began to feel uneasy. Even laymen could tell that Master Zheng was far more skilled than Wu Yunfeng or Li Shan. With Master Wang absent, who else in this vast Jiangnan City could possibly surpass Master Zheng's brilliance?
In contrast to Master Zheng, Ling Fan remained with his hands clasped behind his back, eyes closed, showing no intention of forging.
"Putting on a show!"
"I'll bet my bottom dollar he bought that top-tier artisan token."
"Exactly. It's obvious to anyone with a brain that this good-for-nothing couldn't possibly be a top-tier artisan."
"Heh, it's laughable that those Lan family members actually see him as their savior. The greater their hope now, the greater their disappointment later!"
The Jin family members sneered. Many spectators also harbored doubts about Ling Fan's abilities, as no one had ever heard of him forging weapons before.
Time passed quickly. Watching Master Zheng forge with such fluid grace, the crowd barely noticed the swift passage of time.
Meanwhile, Ling Fan finally made his move. After a moment of thought, he stoked the furnace and casually tossed various metal materials into it to melt. Then, he stood still.
"Pfft."
Someone couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"What kind of forging is this? He just throws the materials in and walks away!"
"Is this some kind of automatic forging technique, hahahaha!"
"I knew this kid had no real talent, just a clown seeking attention."
"Is that it? Doesn't he need to shape, hammer, quench, pattern, and temper?"
"Hahaha, I could do that too. Just throw in the materials and be done with it. Whatever comes out, comes out!"
Peals of laughter erupted, with Jin Wudao and his family members laughing the loudest. They had felt a sliver of worry earlier, but now even that had vanished. By all accounts, Ling Fan appeared to be a complete novice in forging, so there was nothing to worry about. Moreover, with Master Zheng present, victory was assured.
Hu Hao, however, looked slightly serious. He recalled his teacher, Master Wang, mentioning that there were countless forging legacies and methods in the world, but Jiangnan City was too small, and their horizons too narrow to have encountered them. He remembered one peculiar method: forging with intent! No hammering or shaping was needed; the weapon formed itself! However, this required immense mental strength.
Hu Hao shook his head, dismissing these fanciful thoughts. He looked at Ling Fan, a cold smile playing on his lips. Besides, those forging methods were long lost, and Ling Fan, this good-for-nothing, showed no signs of having any talent in mental power.
"I must be overthinking it."
Deep within the Weaponsmiths' Association, atop a tall building that offered a panoramic view of the forging grounds, Master Wang stood by the window. When he saw Ling Fan begin his forging, his face was filled with extreme shock. As time went on, the astonishment on his face only deepened.
...
In the blink of an eye, over two hours had passed. Master Zheng, with focused concentration, repeatedly heated and hammered the gradually forming weapon. His method seemed particularly unique, with forces accumulating and resonating, tempering the weapon blank through countless strikes, imbuing it with an aura of invincibility.
"The Nine-Vibration Forging Method of the Zheng family from Yunmeng City!"
Discerning weaponsmiths exclaimed in surprise.
"I've heard that a Yellow-tier master from Yunmeng City can perform the Nine Vibrations, forging Yellow-tier spirit weapons that are incredibly sturdy and stable in their patterns. Even among Yellow-tier spirit weapons, they are considered superior. I never expected Master Zheng to possess this ultimate skill."
"Judging by the accumulating sounds, there are at least seven vibrations. Master Zheng's mastery is profound; he's likely just a step away from becoming a Yellow-tier master!"
"Perhaps today we will witness the birth of a Yellow-tier spirit weapon!"
The crowd marveled. Finally, with a sigh of relief, Master Zheng ceased forging. A sword with a graceful, flowing design appeared in his hand.
"Sizzle!"
The moment it was submerged in the quenching liquid, white steam billowed upwards. The liquid seemed to flow towards the sword without any breeze. Soon after, Master Zheng tempered the sword again. A single weapon pattern appeared on the sword. To everyone's utter astonishment, the color of that weapon pattern... was gold!
A golden weapon pattern, even just one, signified that this sword... had reached the Yellow-tier spirit weapon level. For a moment, all the spectators were stunned by Master Zheng's exquisite artistry.
Holding the precious sword, Master Zheng declared, "This sword is the pinnacle of my life's work. I shall name it... Golden Serpent!"
"A magnificent Golden Serpent spirit weapon."
"Master Zheng is mighty!"
"It's truly fortunate for us to witness the emergence of a Yellow-tier master weaponsmith."
"Hahaha, our Jin family is destined to win!"
With the appearance of the golden weapon pattern, the confidence of all the Jin family members soared. It no longer mattered whether Ling Fan was a genuine top-tier artisan or not. What was a top-tier artisan? At best, they could forge a top-tier mortal weapon, which was incomparable to a true Yellow-tier spirit weapon!
As the Jin family rejoiced, the Lan family members felt a chill run down their spines, as if they had fallen into an abyss. The hope they had just ignited was once again extinguished. As the Jin family members had said, Master Zheng had now forged a Yellow-tier spirit weapon and become a Yellow-tier master, securing an unassailable victory.
"Alas, alas."
"The Jin family has invited such a formidable figure. How can our Lan family possibly contend with them? We cannot win."
"Let us accept our fate."
The Lan family members were almost in despair.
"Young Master Hu Hao, announce the result quickly! Master Zheng has undoubtedly won!" the Jin family members urged smugly.
"No rush. Let's see what he can forge." Master Zheng smiled with arrogant pride.
Everyone patiently waited. The wait was not long.
Ling Fan suddenly opened his eyes. A flicker of exhaustion crossed his face; even with his immense mental power, forcefully using the secret technique of forging from thin air had taken a significant toll. Yet, his eyes shone as brightly as morning stars.
"Buzz buzz buzz!"
At that moment, the furnace began to emit a series of banging sounds, as if a terrifying creature was rampaging within. The crowd was startled, and even Master Zheng looked over with a look of suspicion.
Under countless astonished gazes, a silver-white longsword flew out of the furnace, radiating an untamed, powerful aura. However, as it landed in Ling Fan's hand, it became as docile as a kitten. Upon seeing the precious sword, everyone felt their hearts stop, their breathing cease...
The silver-white sword was adorned with golden patterns that shimmered with brilliant light. One... two... three... nine! A total of nine golden weapon patterns! This meant Ling Fan had forged an unprecedented Yellow-tier spirit weapon. One to thirty golden weapon patterns constituted a Yellow-tier spirit weapon. Nine patterns signified the peak of Yellow-tier low-grade. In the face of this silver-white longsword, even the Golden Serpent sword forged by Master Zheng with the strength of his entire life, reaching the Yellow-tier, paled in comparison!
The Jin family members were utterly horrified! Jin Wudao's eyes bulged out; he stared blankly, finding the golden light blindingly intense... Wu Yunfeng, Hu Hao, and even Master Zheng showed expressions of shock for the first time, their previous arrogance and smugness gone!
Good heavens... A peak Yellow-tier low-grade master at seventeen or eighteen years old! Furthermore, he had no idea how Ling Fan had achieved this forging method. The Lan family members, who had been in despair, looked at Ling Fan standing proudly with the sword, and could no longer suppress their excitement and joy, erupting into earth-shattering cheers! They were unburdening their emotions.
"I told you the son-in-law was a master weaponsmith! You didn't believe me...!" Li Shan exclaimed, tears of emotion streaming down his face, both for Ling Fan saving the Lan family and for witnessing his divine forging skills. As the saying goes, to hear the Way in the morning and die in the evening is enough. Though he, Li Shan, could never hope to match his son-in-law, to have witnessed such divine skill in this life was without regret.
Lan Tianxiong stood up abruptly, tears welling in his eyes. Lan Junjie jumped up in excitement! At the same time, a wave of unprecedented shame washed over him... Thinking back to how he used to scold Ling Fan like a son, his face burned with embarrassment! His mother-in-law, Li Huimei, was utterly stunned. She had never imagined that this son-in-law, whom she despised and hated so much, would one day shine so brightly! The weight of such a young Yellow-tier master weaponsmith was unimaginable!
Lan Xueyi trembled, Ling Fan's earlier words echoing in her mind. So... you truly had this ability after all! A Yellow-tier weaponsmith, truly remarkable.